Summary of the Thesis
Shahrur argues that inherited jurisprudence is a historical human construction that does not possess authority equal to the Qur’an. For him, the highest authority is the Word of God in the Wise Revelation, whereas the sayings of the Prophet and the Companions, and what followed them, remain historical documents and human ijtihad.
Related Verses
Foundational Atoms
- The Qur’an is the highest authority
- The center of Islam is the Word of God
- Inherited jurisprudence is a historical human product
- Jurisprudence is a historical human understanding
- Inherited jurisprudence is separate from the Qur’an
- The sayings of the Prophet and the Companions are historical documents
Place of Reliance within the Book
This treatment is concentrated in the first section of the book, within the redefinition of the center of reading and the critique of what has accumulated in inherited jurisprudence.
Scope of Reading
This formulation confines itself to the atoms documented here, and does not judge all forms of jurisprudence or ijtihad in the book.